Viewpoints

As a fourth generation native of Routt County and a father of three young children in our community, I would like to take a brief minute to express my displeasure of the topics, especially the front page of the Steamboat Today.

In response to your recent editorial, “Pot experiment seems to be working,” we are concerned that the general public is unaware of the numerous and growing problems since marijuana commercialization began in Colorado five years ago under the guise of medicine.

It won’t come as a surprise that we view collaboration between government agencies as a common-sense approach to tackling projects when possible. There are cost efficiencies that can be realized in shared projects, which saves taxpayers money and demonstrates good government planning.

As a country, we have spent far too much and lost too many American lives on military campaigns in places where oil is the primary motive and have little to show for it. At some point we should have the wisdom to say, “Enough.”

This letter is written in response to Bob Stevenson’s letter published in Thursday’s Steamboat Today. Mr. Stevenson properly takes offense to the Cal Thomas editorial published Wednesday, in which Thomas implied that President Barack Obama was an idiot using a quote from Shakespeare.

Our ability as individuals to opt-out (the exemption) of complying with what many people in Colorado consider to be draconian-statist wishes is, after all, granted by law. The notion that “rolling up your sleeve” is in the greater community interest, “come on dude, just do it for the collective,” is in my opinion borderline Marxist, if not medical tyranny in nature.

In the true spirit of thrift shopping, the Steamboat Pilot & Today news team set out on a mission to see what treasures they could unearth at area second-hand stores. Each staff member was given $10 and then were challenged to comb local thrift shops in search of one-of-a-kind items. Vote here for the best thrifted treasure.

After the first full year of legalized retail sales of marijuana in Steamboat Springs, we’ve seen that even in its infancy, it’s a multi-million dollar industry that will only grow. And we’ve been unable to detect any alarming signs that weed is going to undermine Steamboat’s stature as a wholesome place to live and visit.

As of Feb. 6, Colorado House Bill HB1135, which will legalize physician-assisted suicide, has been postponed indefinitely by the House Committee on Public Health & Human Service; however, most indicators suggest the issue is far from behind us.

Cal Thomas criticizes President Obama as not measuring up in Thomas’ war-monger contest (Wednesday’s Steamboat Today). Thomas seems to prefer the right’s Cheney/Bush “let’s make up and sell wars to America” approach.

On Saturday, while visiting my family here on Laurel Lane just below the Steamboat Ski Area, a fireworks display was shooting off for about 20 minutes or so. Regardless of the spectacle of lights and noise, which many people enjoy, I wanted to let your readers know of negative impacts to other people and to the environment.